It took four finals for you to win the elite championships, how do you feel?
Fourth time is the charm. Persistence is key. If at first you donโt succeed, second and third, try the fourth time.
Did doubts come into your mind. Obviously Cheavon Clarke (who beat Ngwenya previously) is doing really well, but did losing to him and others ever get you down?
It kind of riled me up. Taking nothing away from those boys, a win is a win. But some of them bouts I felt like I should have won. But Iโm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. It probably just wasnโt my time. Take for instance Frazer Clarke, when he was in the super-heavyweight scene he had people like Joe Joyce, Anthony Joshua beating him. The first time he won [the ABAs], he beat me in 2015 when he won it in Liverpool. So I took a little bit of that, a little bit of faith, hard work and dedication. Itโs amazing where it will take you.
So before you moved down to 91kgs, you were a super-heavyweight?
I came through as a 16 bouter [to the final], my first elite championships in Liverpool. I fought people like Fayz Abbas who lost to AJ [Anthony Joshua] in the finals in 2011. In the semis I fought Declan Fusco and then in the final I had Frazer Clarke and that was my first loss.
So youโve had a very hard path through amateur boxing?
Very. Itโs challenging. It just goes to show the love for the sport Iโve got. Iโve got love for this game. Without boxing I donโt even know where Iโd be.
Talk me through the knockdowns and the knockout against Thomas Pogson in the final?
I havenโt stopped someone in a long time. I think it was just due to timing. Being precise and being patient. Because the first round was a bit closeโฆ I caught him with a good left hand and I saw him wobbling a little bit. Then I just saw red and I just went for the kill.
Must have been good to take it out of the judgesโ hands?
Most definitely. If that first round had gone to him I wouldnโt have complained either. I had to do what I had to do. I had to adjust and overcome, which I did.
In general what has boxing done for you, how has it changed your life?
Weโre quite fortunate that we’ve got a full time training programme [in the Army]. Our set up in Aldershot is similar to GB, in terms of diet and nutrition, strength and conditioning, psychiatrist and all that stuff. Weโve got it all. So thereโs no reason why our lot shouldnโt be medalling down here.
Itโs inspiring for peopleโฆ Itโs recruiting but not just for the Army but for the sporting world in the Army that people donโt know about.
Iโm in the Grenadier Guards. I joined the Army just to get out of trouble. I was a young boy in south east London getting up to no good and it got to a point where I had to turn my life around. I joined the Army in 2009 and Iโve never looked back since then.